Enchanted Forever
by TamedWings
Summary: Katie returns to New York to her dream man and job. Things are looking up, but Katie and MSI Inc. still have one task on their hands – catch the bad guy. As events unfold, dark secrets of the past emerge, but they will ultimately will be the key to understanding the current conflict. It will take Owen's powers, Katie's unique perspective, and new and old friends to win this fight.
1. Chapter 1

****Quick Note:**** I am mostly writing this story because I really wanted to see the book 5 come out. I picked up the story right where Don't Hex with Texas left off. I am trying to follow Shenna's style, but I am not her. I am also going to be introducing new characters. I hope you like the story and please leave comments!

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><p><strong>Enchanted Inc. – The forever after<strong>

***Chapter 1***

Monday came around quicker than I hoped for. The events of the past week had happened not only so quickly, but also so unexpectedly, that I barely could remember my arrival in New York the night before. I looked around the tiny apartment that I shared with Gemma and Marcia. There was nothing spectacular or glamorous about it. The tiny kitchen made my mom blink in awe, and not the good kind, when she visited during last Thanksgiving. But it was more than enough for me. Even though I missed my crazy family, I couldn't but feel at home here, in Manhattan, with my friends, MSI, and of course with Owen.

After he picked me up from the airport yesterday, he held on to me tight the entire ride back. I think part of him was holding on to me because Rocky and Rollo were driving, but I had a feeling it was more than that. He had a healthy skin glow and did not look as tired as he was after the battle with Idris. A good night sleep and getting away from my crazy family must have restored enough of his energy for him to look like his old handsome and bashful self. I rested my head against his chest and could feel his peaceful breathing. This phase did not last long, as Rocky and Rollo started to speed down Brooklyn/Queens Express Way.

"Faster!" directed Rollo, as Rocky blindly pressed the pedal. "Slow down…slower…BRAAAAAAAAAKE!" yelled Rollo as the car screeched to a stop, a faction of an inch away from a broken down car in the middle of the express lane. I was glad that I was wearing a seatbelt and had the protective grasp of Owen's arm around my waist. My whole body swung forward, almost hitting the seat in front of me.

I looked at Owen, who was as calm as always, and couldn't hold back a smile. The memories of the trip to his foster parents' house have flashed before my eyes and I could tell that Owen must have remembered them too.

"I hope you are not too jetlagged. I have a surprise for you," Owen whispered into my ear and the light pink blush spread around his cheeks as he grinned with an uncanning smile that made my stomach do a flip. If I had any doubts about moving back to New York, they were gone in an instance.

"As long as it doesn't involve chasing after our enemies, I can't wait," I smiled back at him, as Owen turned a brighter shade of pink. As well as I knew him, I still could not figure out how he managed to blush furiously at anything remotely personal. If anyone met him on the street, no one would assume that he is one of the most powerful wizards on Earth.

As we drove into Manhattan, Rollo's yells to brake have become louder and more frequent. Finally, the car stopped in front of the Central Park.

"Take Katie's luggage to her house," said Owen to Rocky and Rollo.

"Aye, aye, boss." Rollo winked at us, sending Owen into blush attack, and then rolled down the street, into the busy Manhattan day.

Owen turned to me and looked straight into my eyes. I felt my body tingle. His deep blue eyes radiated warmth that made my legs go soft. It was a perfect warm April day. The sun was shining and the birds were chirping. The spring was in its full bloom. People hurried across the streets, avoiding other people around them. Owen took my hand into his and brushed his palm across my cheek. Whoever could have thought that one touch could feel like magic, even though I knew he did not have to use any magic on me, even if he could?

"Let's go," he said softly, as he led me into the park.

We strolled down the path hand in hand. No words were spoken as went in further into the park, but all I wanted to do was yell _THIS HANDSOME GUY IS MINE!_ at the passing by people. If this was the kind of new life I had chosen, I could get used to it rather quickly.

We approached the Belvedere Castle and headed towards the arch-enclosed terrace. It was surprisingly empty, except for a group of people fussing around the picnic table. My eyes grew wide as all of a sudden they all turned in my direction.

"KATIE!" yelled Marcia, running towards me, with Gemma behind her. They both embraced me as if I had been gone for three years, and not three months. Tears of joy streamed down my cheeks, as I hugged them. "We are so glad that you are back. It has not been the same without you," said Gemma.

"So you are not mad at me?" I looked at them with hopeful eyes.

"Are you kidding me? You introduced us to the whole new world that we never knew existed. And to new people." Marcia glanced back at Rod, who was standing a bit behind, as she got a hint of blush on her cheeks. I wondered if blushing was contagious. I looked at Owen and saw him smiling. "Besides, we al' suspected that you had an inner devil in ya," laughed Gemma, as she tried to fake a Texas accent. I hugged them again before going in to say hi to everyone else.

My heart fluttered with joy as I hugged Rod, Philip, Isabel, and Trix. Ethan was standing next to Trix, looking a bit awkward, but smiling at the same time. Even though there have been sad feelings in the past on my part, I was happy to see him. "Things didn't change that much while I was gone, huh?" I said tilting my head in Trix's direction. "I guess not," answered Ethan with a gleam in his eyes.

Merlin emerged from the terrace and headed towards me. Seeing him made me self conscious. He was the legendary wizard who put King Arthur on the throne. He was also the one to organized MSI and now returned to be its CEO once again. Even though he was the one who approved my return to New York, I couldn't help but look down at the ground. I had put Owen into dangerous situation than ever wanted to. As much as fairy tales idealize damsels in distress as romantic set ups, in real life it was nothing short of horror. Owen was smart, strong, and handsome. When he was mad he went quiet. But even then, he always had a confident look in his eyes. I still remember the day when I saw panic in those eyes. That look was what pushed me to escape into Texas. I never wanted to see him be put into that situation again. But I guess "never say never" expression is true. After getting away from the enemies, I still managed to get trapped into a similar situation, putting Owen, myself, and the rest of the world in danger once again.

I looked up to see Merlin standing in front of me with his pleasant and content smile. I felt the weight lift off my shoulders. "I presume Mr. Owen accommodated you with a pleasant flight." Even though he was more than a thousand years old, his tone and choice of words reminded me of something my brothers would say. "It was. I am just happy to be back." Merlin's smile turned serious and friendly as the same time. "Saving the world has its limits. Even magic people know not to interfere with love." This was my turn to turn bright red. I felt my face flushing and warmth spreading up my cheeks. I hoped for the sake of Owen that he did not hear that comment. I turned only to see him furiously blushing. I wondered if Merlin was making assumptions or knew something more.

Merlin, as a great savior once again, turned everyone's attention to himself. He waved his hands and full champagne glasses appeared in everyone's hands. "I would like to make a toast." Everyone raised their glasses and listened. "I have lived through many years and many times, but never have I met such a young extraordinary lady. In the times when the enemy is lurking in the shadows, even friendship and loyalties can prove to be weak. Miss Chandler has the unique ability to keep those qualities close to her heart and remind everyone about the cause we are fighting for." Merlin looked over each one of us. This was an incredible crowd gathered. All three worlds, so different and so distant on the normal occasions, have been brought together today. Merlin, Rod, and Owen were wizards. Isabel was part giant. Trix was a fairy. Ethan and I were immunes. Gemma and Marcia were the normal ones. It reminded me of how Owen fit in with my family so well, even though you would think he would feel out of place. Maybe things that looked different did not necessarily mean that they did not belong together. As I stood there, looking at the dearest group of friends I had, Merlin continued. "I would like to raise this glass and welcome back my executive assistant."

I could not believe my ears. Not only was I standing next to Owen, who was the one who asked me to come back to him, but I also got my old job back. I closed my eyes and pinched myself to make sure that it was not all a dream. When I opened my eyes, everything was still the way it was a few seconds ago.

We all drank our champagne and scattered around the terrace. Marcia was batting eyelashes at Rod, who appeared to have not eaten in a while, as he was biting one of the biggest burgers I had ever seen. Ethan and Trix were talking a walk around the castle. I was not sure if they were curious to learn its history or if they just wanted some seclusion.

I walked towards Owen, who appeared to admiring the view of the park. I stood a few minutes, admiring my own view. The gentle wind was ruffling Owen's hair. The whole set up looked liked from a movie. The rays of sun were illuminating his slender figure. My feet moved me towards him on their own. As I stood next to him, he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and squeezed.

We walked down the steps to the bank of Belvedere Lake. The water sparkled as the sun shone brightly. I looked up and immediately drowned in the gorgeous sparkling blue eyes. Owen leaned down and kissed me with such passion, that it took my breath away. My legs wobbled and I leaned into him, afraid of falling. His sturdy grip told me I did not have anything to worry about though.

"Katie Chandler, I am not going to ever let you go again." At that moment I knew that he was as much in love with me, as I was with him.


	2. Chapter 2

***Chapter 2***

I shook my head as I brought my attention back to reality. I was still in my tiny kitchen, holding a mug of coffee in my hands. It was 5:30am and my roommates were still asleep. I went back into my room and got dressed. Today was my first day back to MSI. Merlin said I could take a few more days to adjust to the city life again, but I could not even sleep in.

I walked down the cramped stairs and headed over to the Union Square market. I looked around, in anticipation of seeing the skeleton creature that seemed to follow me before or a harpy, but the coast was clear. If I wanted to have a semi-normal relationship with Owen, I had to be more careful. Wishing for a normal relationship was impossible in itself. I suppose it's true that with great power comes great responsibility. Owen had to keep the world safe, which would keep me safe as well.

I crossed the street as the white walking figure appeared on the pedestrian signal and approached a fruit stand. The golden apples seemed so fresh and juicy that I could not pass a chance to pick up a few. It was a bit past 6 o'clock when I got back to the apartment from grocery shopping. As I tried to put all the pots and pans out of the way, I noticed a tall figure pacing up and down the block. The man was in his mid-twenties. He was tall and rather good looking. Of course he did not compare to Owen, but that did not mean he was ugly. The man on the sidewalk looked up into the window of the apartment, saw my face, and quickly disappeared. _That was strange_, I thought. Without much thought, I went back to baking apple turnovers.

Marcia was the first one to crawl out of her room. She walked into the room, sniffing the air. "Something smells good. I'm fairly sure that means Katie is baking us some breakfast," she said, flashing an innocent smile at me.

"I was planning to bring them to work today, but I think I made enough for everyone," I replied, as I slid a coffee mug and a plate with a fresh apple turnover across the counter. Marcia squealed with delight and dug into her breakfast. Next came Gemma. All I had to do was look at her to read her mind. As I handed her an apple turnover, she looked like a kid who was finally getting her Christmas present.

"I think I better save the rest for work." I packed the baked goodies into a box and put them aside.

"So what did I miss while I was away?"

Marcia answered, as Gemma was still finishing her breakfast. "We didn't fight any of your enemies, if that's what you're asking. But we had our share of excitement. Rod asked me to go to his parents' for his birthday next month. I know I said I wasn't looking for anything serious, but I really like Rod. He might've been one of the biggest players and flirts in the past, but he's changing." I did not find it all that surprising. Ethelinda, the fairy godmother, said that Rod will eventually settle down, he just needed to find the right girl. It was possible that Marcia might be her.

"Philip is making headways in the suit against the Vandermeer and Company's Mr. and Miss Meredith. Ethan has drafted an official summons for that wicked Sylvia. It'll be handled by the Magical Council, since taking it to a regular court isn't possible. It won't be an easy fight, but Owen documented the traces of the enchantment spell on Philip. We don't know how much it will help, but the odds look in our favor. We just need to wait now, as it will be a long and dragged out case. Unless magical people have a way to look into the past and get this thing settled." Gemma gave me questioning look. "Sorry Gemma, but I don't think I can be any help here. Magical laws and physics give me a headache."

I went back into my room and put my work clothes on. It was warm enough outside to wear a skirt, but after being gone for three months, I had a feeling I will need to move around a lot during my first week back at work. I put on a touch of floral perfume and smeared some of the light pink lip gloss sample that my mom stuffed into my luggage. I grabbed the box of turnovers as I headed out. I practically flew down the stairs in anticipation of having my first morning commute with Owen in over three months.

A big smile spread across my face as I stepped outside of the door. Owen was standing on the sidewalk, holding two cups of Starbucks. His eyes sparkled and his hair, even though a bit ruffled, moved with the wind. He bashfully smiled at me, making my knees go weak. Does he even know what kind of power he has over me? Somehow I doubted it. Sometimes he was too oblivious to his surroundings, but that was also part of his charm.

"Good morning," he said, as he handed me a cup of coffee and gently kissed me.

"Good morning," I replied, with my voice slightly shaking. It was not the first time he kissed me, but every time he did, it felt like it was the first time.

We headed down the street towards the subway. Owen curiously looked at the box I was carrying. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Depends on what you're thinking." A blush appeared on his cheeks. I opened up the box with the pastries and handed him one. I was planning to save these for lunch at work, but seeing one of the happiest expressions on Owen's face was more than I could ask for. If making him happy was this easy, I think I was in a good shape.

As we descended into the subway, I noticed the same man that was outside my windows today standing a few feet away from us. "See that man at your 3 o'clock? He was looking into the window of the apartment today at 6 in the morning," I whispered to Owen.

Owen instantly turned his head in the direction of the man. His expression was serious, yet calm. The train arrived at the station without Owen needing to summon it. It was extremely overpopulated, so that Owen and I had to push our way in. I did not mind the cramped space, but Owen seemed uncomfortable. I clung to his arm, as the train jerked into motion. Sometimes there are advantages to otherwise crappy situations. Being flung against Owen's body was definitely one of them.

Owen frowned as we made our way to the ground. I looked back and saw the same man walking a few feet behind. My heart started pounding. This could not be happening. It was my second day back to New York City and I was already followed by some shady man. At that moment, Owen put his arm around my waist and held on tight. Then he abruptly turned around and we came face to face with the mystery man. Owen locked his eyes on the man, as if ready to pounce on him any second if he made the wrong move. Seeing Owen this way made me gulp.

"What do you want from Katie?" Owen's voice was firm, all traces of warmth gone.

The tall man gracefully lifted his hat up and back down. "I am sorry if I startled you. My name is Fionn[1] ó hAodha[2] or Finn Hughes in modern English. You can call me Finn. I am one of the clerks at the Magic Council. I am handling Mr. Philip's case. I was sent to investigate your and your friends' connection to the case, but it appears your house has been warded." He extended his arm to shake Owen's hand.

"Owen Palmer," said Owen, as he shook Finn's hand and relaxed his grip around my waist. Finn was a really tall and pale Irishman. If it was not for his name, I would not have thought he was Irish. He had dark grey eyes and thin lips. His head was covered with thick light brown wavy hair, with a distant hint of red. He must have been at least six feet and three inches tall. His body frame was slim, almost on the lanky side, but you could tell there were some muscle underneath his clothes. Somehow I had an image of leprechauns in my head and he did not fit the bill.

"I would like to speak to you in private," Finn continued, "about your possible assistance in this case. The Council has entrusted me with the collection of all and any background information pertaining to the investigation. As I was told, you were the lady that freed Philip from the spell, which makes you one of the key witnesses."

Great, I thought, just what I needed. Getting tangled up in a magical law suit was definitely not on my to-do list any time soon. But feeling obligated to Gemma, I said "I'm not familiar with magical laws, but I will help as much as I can. We can meet today after work and go to one of the downtown restaurants." I glanced at Owen and added, "Mr. Palmer will be joining us, if you do not mind."

"Of course not. I have heard great things about Mr. Palmer and am looking forward to getting to know you both." He ran off into the masses of people before we had a chance to reply.

"Well, that's a great start to the week," I said.

"Could be worse." I wasn't sure whether Owen was trying to make a joke or was deeply concerned about this situation.

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><p>[1] Finn: Old Irish form of modern Gaelic Fionn, meaning "fair, white." In Irish legend, this is the name of a hero, <em>Finn MacCool<em>, who became all-knowing after eating a magic salmon.

[2] Hughes - old Irish ó hAodha - meaning fire


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** I would like to thank my friend/editor for helping me with grammar. I am not a native English speaker, so if you notice some glaring mistakes, please let me know. Thank you miss-labyrinth for the comments. I already had these three chapters written, so I did only some minor editing. I will keep in my your comments. And thank you chasingseraphim! I will try not to disappoint you guys

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><p>***Chapter 3***<p>

We silently walked towards the Magic, Spells, and Illusions Inc. office. As we neared it, I heard a familiar flutter of wings, or at least as much as stone wings can make the fluttering sounds. Sam was looking down at us as we approached.

"Heya, doll. Glad you are back."

"Me too." I said, still thinking about the new Finn character in my life. "You weren't at the picnic last night though."

"Well someone had to keep this place safe while you were having fun." Sam winked at us and that sent a slight blush up Owen's cheeks.

"Sorry, Sam. I'll speak to Merlin about getting more people on the security team."

"Don't sweat it, kid. I've got it covered. Now off you go, or you'll be late for work."

Owen and I hurried up the stairs. As we entered the building, I stood motionless. All the memories had rushed back. When I looked around, I saw that no one was staring at me, like I expected, but everyone were going their own way.

"She is with me," said Owen to the security guard at the lobby. I walked across the lobby, gazing around it as if for the first time. Not seeing this place for over three months must have given me a whole new perception. The tall ceilings and the stone walls were illuminated through the stained glass. You could see the sporadic particles of dust scattering in the air, looking like tiny snowflakes under the sunrays. The place could captivate anyone.

Owen tugged my arm and led the way. "I have to get to R&D. I'm really behind on the work. I believe you will find your way to Merlin's office on your own. Oh and say hi to Kim for me," he said with a grin.

_KIM!_ How could I have forgotten about her? I bet she was rejoicing her victory over me when she found out that I took off to Texas. I wonder if Merlin told her about my return. I really hoped he hadn't, as it would ruin the priceless facial expression I was anticipating to see as I walked into the room.

Before I got the chance to experience the delight of Kim's torment, I approached Trix's desk. She was already chatting with someone on the phone, with her fairy giggles being audible down the hall. As she saw me, I could have sworn she leaped over the desk and almost tackled me. "This is so exciting! I can't believe that you are back. Not that I had any doubts that you can keep yourself away from a certain someone." She giggled and hugged me.

At that moment the door to Merlin's office swung open and Merlin himself emerged through the doorway. Behind him trailed Kim, all perky and ready to take notes, as it seemed. Then she saw me. Instantly, her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. I wish I had a camera at that moment. This had to be the best triumphs ever . I was glad that both of us had been immunes, or I had a feeling she would have unleashed her full power on me.

"Good morning, Mr. Merlin. Hello, Kim," I said, giving myself an imaginary high five for keeping it cool.

"You are just in time Miss Chandler."

"THIS is the big meeting you told me about?" All that Kim was able to say.

"Yes. Miss Chandler is fully back after her needed travel and she can take some of the tasks back, so you can focus more on the verification process." I almost died inside from wanting to laugh and cackle. I imagined my revenge in many different ways, but this topped all of them. Kim looked like she was struck by lightning and now was ready to fall through the cracks of the floor. If I didn't dislike her so much, I might have felt bad for her. She was a good and eager worker, but her attitude put a big dent in her climb up the corporate ladder. As Kim stood as still as a marble statue, I walked past her into Merlin's office.

"Please have a seat," Merlin said, pointing to the chairs around the table. I wondered if I was supposed to take the seat on the right side of him, like before, but hesitated. "You can sit in your usual spot," Merlin said with a warm smile.

Maybe I should start watching what I think, I thought as I bit my tongue. I hope he did not read my thoughts about Kim.

Soon Owen and Rod walked into the office. They both engaged in a conversation and walked passed still statue-like Kim. Owen sat on the opposite side of Merlin and gave me a slight sly smirk. Then he glanced up and noticed Kim. He went into a violent fit of coughs, which I was sure were laughs.

Sam was the last one to fly in through the door before Merlin spoke.

"We can begin now," he begun. "Thank you for your assistance, Kim. You can go back to your duties now."

As Kim left the office, I thought that maybe I should invest in some pepper spray. Somehow I doubted Kim would let me slide this easy.

"As you all are aware, the case against Vandermeer and Company has been filed and the Magic Council agreed to handle it." He looked around the room and then at me and continued. "The Magic Council does not permit non-magical people to intervene with the case. But given the circumstances, your friends, Miss Chandler, will be thrown into the middle of this. The Council is aware that Marcia and Gemma know about the existence of magic. Therefore, they granted a special permission for them to be added to the security list of the Magic Council. They are allowed to be witnesses, to make motions, and to seek protective custody. I hope the latter will not be needed." He looked sternly at me. "Please let your friends know all they need to know about magic and our enemies. We do not want them to be the target again. You'll work closely with Sam and his team to ensure their safety. Mr. Palmer will provide you with magical wards and any other spells that he might find useful. They might not be useful to an immune, but regular people can be protected by magic."

Everyone, but Rod nodded. I could feel that he felt left out and out of place.

"Mr. Gwaltney, I am aware that you have been dating one of Miss Chandler's roommates. She might not be directly linked to the case, but she will be targeted by the enemy. I hope you will use your better judgment on this and keep her safe."

"Yes, sir."

"With Idris out of the way, I do not think that whomever is behind him will have the brain power to introduce new spells. However, given some of the past events, I would like you to continue the effort to boost corporate morale. We will need it, if we want to succeed." Merlin looked grave. I wondered if he had a vision, but I did not want to let my thoughts wander off too deep.

Merlin stood up, signaling the end of the meeting.

"Miss Chandler, please stay back, I would like to talk to you about your new tasks." I nodded and waited for everyone to leave. Owen gave me a meaningful look as he headed towards the door.

When everyone left, Merlin shut the door without needing to move his hand. I knew that he was a powerful wizard, but I always wondered how powerful he and Owen really were.

"Katie, I have arranged for your desk and office to be returned to you tomorrow. In the meantime, I am aware that you have a meeting scheduled with Mr. ó hAodha today." My eyebrows shot up in surprise. Was there anything that Merlin didn't know? Merlin continued with a soft smile. "Claiming back Vandermeer and Company is crucial to our success. Mr. Wainwright could not make today's meeting. He is the key player in this case. I believe his abilities are excellent and he is a good attorney, but he is not experienced with magic. He shall receive any assistance he requests. Meanwhile, I would like you to talk to Mr. ó hAodha and find out as much information as possible."

"What kind of information?"

"We need to know how the other side is reacting, in legal sense."

"Isn't that illegal? He's not allowed to disclose any confidential information."

"Each side is allowed to receive any and every piece of document that might be pertaining to the case, even if it's feeble. But I do not believe that the other side will be completely honest. You need to make sure that Mr. ó hAodha will be on our side. It might be unethical to try to get Council members to cooperate with one side or another, but I'm sure our enemies will be the first ones to want to have as much support as they can get. Your job is to make sure that Mr. ó hAodha trusts us and willingly would side with us. No brute force is necessary. From what I heard, he is an eager young man, who fights for the just cause."

I nodded my head in acknowledgement. I thought that finding a corporate mole has been one of the hardest tasks I had to face. Merlin just had to prove me wrong. This is the time I wished I still had my red shoes enchanted.


	4. Chapter 4

***Chapter 4***

I walked out of Merlin's office and started to head towards the stairs when Trix caught me.

"How was your trip home?" she asked, batting her eyelashes and jingling with her wings.

"It wasn't as relaxing as I hoped," I replied with a wry expression. "I left this job and New York to protect Owen, but it seems that magic follows me wherever I go now."

"That's okay, hun. You're back now and we're all excited to have you back for more than one reason." She glanced at the door of the executive assistant's office and we both laughed.

"I'm going to be taking over my role starting tomorrow, it seems. Can you make sure that there are no traces of the previous owner by tomorrow?" I gave Trix a mischievous glance and headed toward the stairs.

"I'm expecting to have lunch with you today!" I heard Trix yell as I descended down the stairs.

I headed down to personnel first. Isabel greeted me with a giant hug as I approached. "It's so good to have you back."

"It's good to be back," I said, trying not to get squished by her grasp. Isabel seemed to be part giant, so sometimes she underestimated her hugging abilities. "Is Rod free now?"

"Let me check his schedule." While Isabel was busy looking through Rod's schedule, the office door swung open and Rod emerged. I wondered if he still wore an illusion. His skin cleared up over the time I have been gone and his hair looked well groomed. His smile actually made him look rather charming. I wondered if Marcia knew about the illusion that Rod put up.

"Katie! Are you here to see me?" He beamed as he approached me.

"Actually, I am."

"Come on in."

"I'll see you at lunch," I heard Isabel call out after me. No wonder I have missed this place.

I sat down on the big plush armchair in front of Rod's place. His desk was not as cluttered as Owen's, but it contained a number of books about teamwork, corporate events, and other business related topics.

Rod noticed me scanning over the book titles. "I might've been reading up on how to build a better work environment," he admitted. "But what brings you here on your first day back?"

"I actually wanted to talk to you about Marcia." Rod's ears perked up a bit.

"Oh," was all that he said.

I sighed. "You two are my friends, but Marcia has been one of my best friends since college. I just don't want her to get hurt." I looked at him and saw him staring at the floor. "I think you're a great guy, Rod, but I just have to look out for my friends."

"Trust me, I understand." He looked me and smiled. "I would do the same for my friends." I wondered if he had a similar talk to Owen before. "I know that I don't have the greatest reputation with ladies, but I honestly like Marcia."

"I'm sure you do. But don't think you can snatch her away by taking her to your parents for your birthday!" I nudged his arm and he laughed.

"You and Owen should come, too. And you can tell Gemma and Philip to come as well. My parents would be delighted to have a company over."

"Thank you. I would love to. Owen and I can stay at his foster parents' house. I really like them."

Rod's telephone rang. "Well, I better get back to work. It's great to have you back."

Now I was off to R&D. I didn't have the silver key card anymore, but I hoped Owen would know I was coming. As I approached the department doors , they flung open and a lion with wild eyes galloped through them. I yelped more from surprise than from fear. The lion ran another few feet and disintegrated mid-air. I walked through the doors and went into Owen's lab. Jake clung to the wall, looking shocked and abashed, while Owen had his hands in his hair, looking as if reading to pull them out.

"That was not supposed to happen," Owen muttered.

I cleared my throat and their heads turned towards me.

"Did I come in at a wrong time?"

"We're testing a new spell I discovered." Owen sighed and Jake scooted over to the whiteboard.

"I take it a lion wasn't supposed to appear."

"No. It's supposed to be a healing spell. But I can't get the translation right." Owen sighed again and looked at me. "You don't have your office back yet, do you?"

I nodded.

Owen looked around the lab. It looked even more cluttered with books than before. "Find yourself a spot then. Just don't move anything." As messy as Owen was, he knew exactly where everything was. It was a comprehensive chaos, as I would call it.

I moved a chair from the corner to the empty-ish desk and set my stuff. All I had was a laptop for now, but it was enough to keep me busy while Owen and Jake tested their spells. Occasionally I would look over the screen to see what the loud pops and yelps meant.

When lunch time came, I quietly left the office and headed to eat lunch with Trix and Isabel. The girls asked me all the details about my trip to Texas, especially about the battle with Idris. The office grapevine proved to be as effective as ever.

The rest of the day flew by. At 5 o'clock I closed my laptop, put my cardigan on, and stuck my head into Owen's lab. He had his nose in the books.

"It's 5 o'clock," I said.

His attention snapped back to reality. "Already?"

He got up and headed into his office. "Let me grab a couple of things and we can head out."

He did not drop his business mode even as we walked out of the MSI building, but he put his protective arm around my waist. I looked up at him and accidently brushed my cheek against his neck. That sent Owen into a deep blush. He looked down at me with a sparkle in his eyes. I held my breath as I expected a kiss.

"Hi guys! Sorry I'm late." Finn appeared in front of us out of thin air. That made me jump. Owen got a shade pinker. "Did I startle you again? Sorry about that… again."

Owen shook Finn's hand and we walked towards the subway station. We got on the express train downtown and proceeded to the restaurant that Owen had in mind. The restaurant was a small place, but very cozy. The tables were standing far apart and there weren't many people. It was a good spot to chat about magic without anyone overhearing it. Owen got the chair for me first and then sat next to me. Finn sat across from us.

The waitress handed us our menus and we ordered. As we were waiting for the food, Finn started the conversation.

"I have gathered a lot of information pertaining to the case, but I am still missing your side of the story, Miss Chandler."

"You can call me Katie."

"I would like to hear what happened and how Philip Vandermeer got disenchanted."

"It all started out as a joke actually. I was out with my coworkers and somehow they convinced me to go with them to go to the Central Park to kiss some frogs in hopes of finding a prince." I could tell that Owen was chuckling on the inside. "I didn't know they literally meant kissing frogs. When we got to the park and it was my turn to look for a frog, I saw a man crouched in the bushes. He was naked and making croaking sounds. At first I thought it was a joke, but my friends saw him as a frog. I was worried that he would get hypothermia, so I kissed him." I couldn't bring myself to look at Owen. I wonder what he thought right about now. "The person was Philip. He was under an illusion spell which made him think he was a frog. I saw him only because I'm an immune. Long story short, he ended up with my roommate, Gemma."

Finn finished taking down notes in his oversized notebook, then asked, "And how is it that you found out about Vandermeer and Company?"

"Philip asked me to come to a meeting with Mr. Meredith with him. He wanted to find out what was going on in his company, but under a disguise. I accompanied him to make sure there was no magic used on him or any paperwork that Philip might've signed. It was then when I met Sylvia Meredith. I never got to meet her uncle, as we were told he was indisposed."

Finn scribbled down some more notes. "So you would be willing to testify before the Magical Council?"

"If it's necessary, then yes."

Finn frowned. "I won't lie to you. There have been a number of cases brought against the company before, but none of them ever came close to winning. I never trusted Mr. or Miss Meredith, but I did not think that they would stoop so low."

Finn's expression lightened up as he thought out loud. "Maybe this case will be different." I wasn't sure if it was luck or what, but getting Finn on our side would be easier than I anticipated.

"Mr. Palmer, would you testify before the Council, too?" he said as he turned to Owen. "You have recorded the traces of the spell that was cast on Mr. Vandermeer."

"Of course. There are multiple reasons why we need the company to be returned to its rightful owner."

Finn's eyebrows shot up. I could tell that he was intrigued. The food was brought in by the waitress and it was silent for a few minutes as we all enjoyed the dinner.

"Would you mind filling me in on what you know about the Merediths?" Finn asked, breaking the silence.

I sat there, watching Owen and Finn, as Owen recapped the story about Idris and the funding that came from Vandermeer and Company. Owen was handsome and shy. Finn was also good looking, but total opposite from Owen in personality. He was outgoing and social. But they shared a common trait it seemed – they both were willing to stand up against the dark forces.

Once the conversation and food were over, Finn and Owen exchanged business cards. Owen insisted on paying the bill and we left the restaurant.

"It was a pleasure talking to you and I hope this won't be our last meeting." Finn disappeared before Owen or I could respond. Owen shrugged and we walked towards our homes. It was a nice evening and the walk was not long.

"Would you like to come inside?" Owen asked as we stood outside of his condo and blushed.

Before I could reply something hit me in the back of my head and everything went black.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N:** I have a few ideas in which direction to take this story in relation to fighting the evil. But I just can't help it maybe bringing it up a notch (possibly include a lemon...). I am sure no girl can blame me for that! :) Comment away.

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><p>***Chapter 5***<p>

I opened my eyes and a pang of pain zapped the back of my head. I was lying on Owen's bed, or at least I assumed it was his, with Loony curled up on the pillow next to me.

"Shhh," I heard someone say. I blinked a few times to focus my eyes and turned my head. I saw a worried Owen sitting on the side of the bed, leaning over to me and touching my forehead. I tried to speak, but he put his finger up to my lips. "Don't talk please. You need to rest."

I closed my eyes and felt Loony curling up closer to my head. I felt myself being drifted away into sleep.

I opened my eyes and it was already dark outside. The dim lights in the room were the only source of light. I lifted myself into a half-seated position and looked around. It was almost midnight. Loony was still lying on the pillow and purring. I looked around more and saw Owen curled up at the foot of the bed with books around him. He must have fallen asleep while reading them. I picked one book up and saw that it was a medical book, not magical. He might have been one of the greatest wizards, but it seemed human medicine was not his strong point.

I brushed my hand through his hair. Owen woke up immediately. Before I could say anything, he had me wrapped in his arms so tight that I thought he would cut off my circulation. "You got me so worried," he whispered into my ear. I heard all the worries and sincerity in his voice.

"What happened?" I asked. I did not remember anything other than feeling pain in the back of my head.

Owen released me from his grasp and took my hand into his.

"We were standing by the door when all of a sudden you fell into my arms. I looked around, but didn't see anyone. Then I noticed a rock with a piece of paper tied to it." He searched around and handed me a scribbled note that read "Give up while no one is hurt." This was a rather archaic method for magical people, I thought. Where are the glowing messages or at least a self destructing note?

"It hit you in the back of your head and you fainted. I was scared that you got a concussion."

"They must be very paranoid to threaten us like that."

"Katie, I don't want anything to happen to you." He looked me straight into my eyes without any hints of blush. "You mean too much for me to lose you."

"Owen, I can't give up like this. Not only my friends from work are involved with this, but now my roommates are too! And even if I left to hide again, trouble seems to find me everywhere."

His face showed a trace of a faint smile. "Marcia and Gemma know you're here. They think you're just sleeping over here tonight." A blush appeared on his cheeks. "You can stay in my room and I will take the guest room." He brushed my cheek with the palm of his hand and went out of the room. He looked back at me with a concern in his eyes as he lingered in the doorway.

"Owen?"

"Yes?"

"Can you stay here with me tonight?"

Even with the dim lights in the room, I could see his gaze slowly wandering towards me. I could not read his expression. But all of a sudden his eyes grew soft and he nodded. It was late and I was tired even after I slept most of the evening. My mind knew Owen's house was safe and he would not let anyone get to me here, but I wanted Owen's protective arms around me. As I curled up under the blanket, Owen went to turn off the lights in the rooms. Loony was happily purring as she settled in next to me. I petted her and closed my eyes. I wondered if there would ever be a time in the near future when I ended up in Owen's apartment under less post-dangerous situations. But part of me thought that maybe it was worth getting knocked over with a rock if it landed me in the same bed with Owen.

I dozed off by the time I heard Owen entering the room. He must have taken his shirt off before crawling into bed. His touch was full of confidence and his hands did not falter as he wrapped his arms around me. I felt his breath against my neck and his skin touching against mine. My skin tingled where he touched it. I felt butterflies in my stomach. I turned my head to kiss him good night, but he was already sleeping peacefully. I cuddled into him and went to sleep too.

The next morning I woke up to the smell of bacon and eggs. I got out of bed and noticed fresh work clothes from home laid out on the bed. Owen must have gone to my apartment to pick them up while I was still sleeping. I went into the bathroom and brushed my hair. I looked a bit ruffled, but no signs of bruises or scars were seen. I got dressed and I dug through my purse to find some perfume. After that I went down the stairs to the kitchen.

Loony was sitting on the floor next to the table and patiently looking up where Owen was arranging something on the plates. He threw a piece of food down and Loony gracefully caught it.

"I see you still have the habit of feeding your pets from the table," I said.

Owen bashfully smiled. "What can I say, I'm too nice. How are you feeling?"

"Great. How else can I feel after sleeping with you?" I realized how that sounded only after Owen turned beet red. "What I meant to say was… Oh, you know what I mean!" I just shut up before I said something else equally awkward.

I walked over to the table in front of the plate that Owen set for me. He made bacon and eggs, along with French toast. Breakfast smelled delicious.

"I'm going to talk to Merlin and Finn about this threat. This can play in our favor when we go in to the Council. We won't be able to heal your head until after Finn documents it though." Owen winced as if it was his fault my head had a bump on it.

We finished our breakfast and Owen left the room to get dressed. I took the opportunity to finally help out and do the dishes. Owen emerged in the kitchen fully dressed in a dark navy suit that almost matched his eyes. He looked slightly tired, but still handsome. I wondered how much sleep he got.

"You shouldn't have done the dishes. You are a guest here." I felt a slight pang. So I was just a guest here? Owen must have guessed what I was thinking and quickly added, "You are more than a guest to me, but you still shouldn't do the housework for me."

We walked downstairs and headed for the subway. Owen frowned and said, "Let's take a cab today." As we sat inside the cab, Owen spoke on the phone with Finn while I texted Marcia and Gemma "Don't take the subway today in the morning." It felt good to be able to tell my roommates about a possible danger without looking like a total lunatic.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I am starting to unveil some of the details that will hint to the main antagonist. Since Shanna didn't really give us many clues as to where to look, I am going to include new characters, new magical creatures, and other pieces of Arthurian legend and folklore. I hope you will enjoy this chapter. I will hopefully post Chapter 7 tomorrow.

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><p>***Chapter 6***<p>

When the cab slowed down and pulled over to the right hand side of the street, a number of police cars and fire trucks honked and buzzed their way through traffic in the direction of the Union Square station. I gulped down and subconsciously felt guilty for not being able to warn the clueless morning commuters about an impending danger. To be honest, I did not know what I would have warned them about. If I got the attention of mass media and told them to avoid trains in the Union Square area, I had a feeling I might face terrorist charges.

The cab slowly made its way to the MSI Inc. building. Owen paid the driver and we went inside. I made my way up the stairs towards Merlin's office. Trix was not at her desk yet and Merlin's door was shut. I peeked inside my office, expecting to get ambushed by Kim, but the coast was clear. My laptop had been sitting on the otherwise almost empty desk. I sat in my chair and arranged the notepad and pens. The buzzer on my phone went off as I hurriedly pressed the answer button.

"Mr. Finn Hughes is here to see Miss Katie Chandler," said the voice belonging to whom I assumed was the security guard.

"Thank you. I will be right down." I answered as I hung up.

I quickly glanced at my schedule on the monitor and saw that neither Merlin nor I had any meetings scheduled for the next two hours. I went downstairs to the lobby. Finn was standing close to the security guard's desk, looking unnerved.

"Good morning, Mr. Hughes," I called out to him.

"Please call me Finn," he replied as he shook my hand.

I guided him to my office through the endless corridors of the building. Trix was busy meddling over her coffee mug when we reached our destination. She looked up in surprise at the sound of approaching feet.

"This is Mr. Finn Hughes from the Magic Council," I explained to her. "Can you take my calls while I talk to Mr. Hughes?"

"Sure," Trix replied. "Boss will be in a bit later, but he asked for Mr. Hughes, if possible, not to leave until he returns."

I shut the door once Finn was settled in my office.

"Owen called me in the morning and asked me to come in to document some attack. I didn't quite understand all of the details though." He took out his giant notebook and a pen.

"Last night, after our dinner, I was attacked on the street with a rock. It had this note attached to it." I handed him the piece of paper that contained the threatening message. Finn held his palm over the note and frowned as he wrote down something in his notebook. Next, he waved his hand and a tiny clear box appeared in his hand. He placed the note inside of it and muttered some words. A quick flash appeared and the box disappeared.

"I deposited the note as evidence for safekeeping at the Council's vault. My coworker Julia works in the truth department and she will make sure it is archived properly. "This note was written by hand and so no magic trail was left. Regardless, this can still serve as evidence. The system relies both on magical evidence as well as standard procedures found in any court." I remembered Owen explaining to me how every spell has a unique signature, which can be used to identify the person who cast the spell. Now I understood the nature of the delivery method.

"Mr. Merlin would like to speak to you. Would you mind waiting?"

"No, not at all."

"Would you like some coffee or tea?"

"Tea, please."

I went to the back wall of the room, where the tea kettle and coffee machine were standing, and made two cups of strong black tea.

"Are there any news on the case?" I asked as we both sat, drinking tea in silence.

"I am afraid this case will be tougher than I hoped it would be." He shifted in his chair in agitation. "I will tell what I know when Mr. Merlin will come in, if you don't mind."

Part of me of course minded, but I needed to be polite. "Of course not."

Just as I finished my cup of tea, Trix buzzed the intercom. "Merlin is ready."

Finn and I migrated over to Merlin's office. Merlin was standing by his chair, greeting us warmly. "Please have a seat."

"I would like to apologize for the delay," he continued, "but this case is of most importance to our company and to the magical world."

"Mr. Merlin, it is a great honor to be in your presence." Finn said, looking at Merlin with awe.

Merlin looked kindly at the young man. "I believe that you have information that you wished to convey to us."

"Yes, yes." Finn looked troubled, but not timid. "I am entrusting you to not relay the content of this conversation outside of this room, unless it will be essential to the progress of our mission." I raised my eyebrows. _Our_ mission? Since when did he become part of our group?

Finn noticed the confusion and elaborated. "My family roots back to pre-Arthurian ages. When the Great Struggle happened, my ancestors chose to fight for the side of light, led by Merlin. The tale of Merlin's enchanted sleep has been passed from one generation to another. We all vowed to be loyal to Merlin and the side of truth and light." Merlin looked pleased. "I am glad, Mr. Hughes, to have an ally such as yourself."

"I have some disturbing news for you, sir," Finn continued. I fidgeted in my chair as I listened. "Mr. Clay Warfender, one of the Councilman, has been reported missing. He was supposed to be one of the three judges to overhear the Vandermeer case. In the recent past, Mr. Warfender had (has is present, had is past) tried to implicate a number of ethically unauthorized magic tactics used by Mr. Jonathan Machtungrig to gain influence within the Council. Fortunately (I'm assuming this is a good thing), even one of his attempts failed." Merlin puckered brows. "It is rumored that Mr. Machtungrig is next in line to receive a Council seat."

I had no idea what the Great Struggle was, who Jonathan Machtungrig was, or what implications of his ascend to Councilship could bring. "What does that mean for us?" I asked.

"That means we might have learned another piece to our puzzle, Miss Chandler," Merlin replied. Then he went on to explain all the questions I have been wondering.

During the Arthurian times, the Great Struggle was a magical war led by Christian Machtungrig. The magical world split in half. Those who followed Christian Machtungrig were promised powers beyond belief and a world free of magical laws. Christian was a much more sinister version of Idris. He was persistent and truly power hungry. Merlin unleashed his might in the final Battle of Celidon in the Caledonian Forest, defeating the enemy, and restoring peace. It could not be a coincidence that Jonathan Machtungrig bore the same last name. If Merlin's suspicions were correct, Mr. Machtungrig could be working with Miss Meredith to try to restore what he might think was his.

As I sat there, soaking in the new information, Merlin turned his attention back to Finn. "Mr. Hughes, I would like you to work closely with Miss Chandler. Don't hesitate to ask her to look over any documents that the other side might provide you with."

Finn and Merlin shook hands and Finn left.

With Finn's departure, Merlin spoke to me. "Katie, with the new information at our disposal, I don't believe you and your two friends will be safe at your apartment anymore. Warding your house requires a lot of energy. Having a constant surveillance on you was one thing, but now we would need to watch over your friends as well. I believe it is best if you temporarily moved in with Mr. Palmer, Gemma with Mr. Vandermeer, and Marcia with Mr. Gwaltney." My eyes went round from surprise. He wanted me to move in with Mr. Shyness, even if temporarily and under work-related circumstances? "I think it would be best for you to be protected by someone with magical powers. If Mr. Machtungrig is working with the Merediths, then we will need to save our powers and strength for later. I will take care of the monetary arrangements for your current apartment."

I just nodded in a daze.

Merlin must have noticed my bewildered state. "It was Mr. Palmer's idea to have you ladies protected by them."

My eyes went even wider. I knew I liked Owen and that he liked me back. I was sure that if I was not in love with him yet, I was falling rapidly. How was I supposed to explain to my mother that she should be calling me at a different house number now? And more importantly, how was I suppose to keep it a secret that I was now living with Owen without having her planning a wedding?


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Well, this chapter came out to be a big longer than others. I contemplated about splitting it into two, but I think the events flow right into each other. My spring break from grad classes is over, so I will be in classes and at work pretty much all week. I am not sure if I will be as productive as I was before. But I am looking forward to writing more!

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><p><strong>***Chapter 7***<strong>

As I left Merlin's office, I bumped into Trix. She eyed me from head to toe. "Is everything ok?"

I actually wasn't sure myself. I slept over at Owen's house a few times before. One time I had to stay there for a couple of days to allow him to dim my immunity. But moving in with him for an indefinite time, even for security reasons, was a big step. I was excited and scared at the same time. "Yes. Just thinking about work," I said hesitantly.

All of a sudden Kim stormed into the room. She had a devilish look in her eyes and I could have sworn I saw horns sticking out of her head. She snorted as she came to a stop inches away from my face.

"Enjoy your fleeting victory," she said, grinding her teeth and glowering.

She pushed her way through us and barged into Merlin's office.

"I resign," was all I heard her bitterly say. Then she whispered something to Merlin, but it was not audible outside of the office. She stomped her way out of the office, making sure to push me with her shoulder on her way out. She grunted and lifted her chin high as she marched down the hall, disappearing at the staircase.

Trix blinked. So did I. That was an unusual eruption even for Kim. Losing a verifier, especially at this time, was a big setback for MSI Inc. If only there was a way to recruit them.

Merlin appeared in the doorway. "Please call in department heads for an emergency meeting."

Owen and Rod walked into the office first. They were quietly talking to each other. They greeted Merlin and me as they took their seats. Mr. Hartwell arrived next. His plastic smile and stiff body posture made him look like a Ken doll. The rest of the department heads walked in together, with Sam flying over them. Gregor bared his teeth at me, but did not turn green. I am sure he blamed me for the loss of an employee in his department.

As soon as everyone was seated, Merlin started. "I am sure you heard by now Kim resigned from MSI. When I offered to write her a letter of recommendation, she proclaimed to already have another job."

Great, I thought.

"Do you think she got recruited by our enemies?" Owen winced at his own question.

"I believe so. Sam, I need Kim's access revoked to the building and for her to be removed from the systems."

"Aye, aye, boss."

"I would also like for every department to change any access codes and pins that Kim might have had been entrusted with." After a brief pause, he added, "Are there any news from Prophets and Lost?"

"The future is still concealed from us, but we saw a vision of figures from the past. Unfortunately, there were no other clues on how they relate to the future," Minerva stated.

"We need to get as many people on our side as we can." As Merlin continued talking to the department heads, I kept brainstorming about an army of immunes. Then a light bulb went off in my head.

"I think I might have an idea." Every head in the room instantly turned to face me. This was yet another idea of mine that suddenly sounded stupid.

"You all know how immunes can't be affected by magic. But they can see fairies, elves, and some magic." Merlin's expression livened up as I spoke. "Why don't we try to officially recruit them?"

Owen looked at me with confusion, while Rod perked up. I think he might have caught on. I continued.

"When Owen first spotted me, he noticed me because I was looking at a gargoyle. Why don't we put a gargoyle and a fairy somewhere on Union Square? They will be concealed to both magical and normal people, so only immunes would find them odd. Then, we can try to trace people who seemed to noticed them." I glanced at Rod. "Rod and his personnel team can then run a background check and see if any of those people could qualify as verifiers. The rest of the people who we won't reach out to will think they saw actors from a musical promotion or something along those lines."

"That is a drastic measure," Owen noted.

"How will we get people's names so quickly? It takes time to find out the real identity of a person. We can't just wave our hand and summon a biography of a person." Rod was fiddling with the pen cap that was laid in front of him.

"Well…" I let my voice trail off a bit as I looked at Rod. "I was hoping that if the immunes are women, we could use your charm to get their names and numbers." I looked down at the table.

"And if it's a man?" he asked and raised his eyebrow.

"We can try to have a woman do the same."

"Ok, Miss Chandler. You and Rod can work on setting up the arrangement. Please keep it low key. We don't want unnecessary attention brought on us." With that, Merlin dismissed the meeting.

I had a busy week ahead, but I had Rod to help me this time. I checked my email before I went to his office. I had a couple of tasks to handle, but they weren't urgent. Rod was sitting at his desk when I entered his office. There were piles of papers everywhere.

"Hey, Rod."

"Hi, Katie!" Rod almost leaped from his seat. "I'm putting together a list of people who will help us with the show. Sam is busy these days, so I think Rocky and Rollo will do the trick. I also have a couple of potential fairies on my list."

He handed me a bunch of papers with names and arrows and brackets everywhere. I glanced over them and handed them back to him.

"That's great. When do you think we can put on the show?"

"The sooner, the better. Would tomorrow work for you?"

"I can take a couple hours off for lunch. We can try to go during the lunch rush. And can you put on some of that attraction spell?" I added with slight embarrassment.

Rod didn't seem uncomfortable. We agreed to meet tomorrow at the lobby at 11:30am.

I spent the rest of the afternoon catching up on the work that I have missed the past three months. Kim was a decent secretary, but her communication skills needed improvement. Some of the magic shop owners wrote complaints that needed my attention. There were a couple of people who were threatening to stop distributing our spells.

I closed my laptop at 5 o'clock and decided that I will deal with the rest of the complaints tomorrow. I grabbed my purse and headed down to Research and Development. Merlin gave me back my silver card that allowed me to pass most, if not all, locked doors within the building, so I didn't have to worry about standing outside the department in case Owen didn't know I was coming.

I looked inside the lab, but Owen wasn't there. I peek inside his office and saw him scribbling something on the whiteboard, with his back turned to me.

"Working late today?" I asked him with a coy smile.

Owen turned to me and glared. "Who let you in here? Can't you see I am busy?" he snapped.

I stood there in shock. Before I knew it, my eyes glazed over. In all of the months that I have known him, there was only one instance when I heard Owen raise his voice. I didn't know what it was that I had done for him to snap like that at me. When he was mad, he would grow quiet, but never yelled.

I ran out of the R&D before tears started to fall. I heard Owen yell my name after me, but I just kept running until I was outside.

Thankfully, Sam wasn't there, so I didn't have any explaining to do about my look. I sat on the bench near the entrance and changed into my walking shoes. Even though I had an unlimited bus/subway card, I needed to walk home to allow my thoughts to sort out.

I was walking on 5th avenue, looking into the windows of the high fashion stores and boutiques. I was about to cross the street when the streetlight turned red. While gazing through the endless stream of pedestrians, a gypsy ambushed me.

"I see a man in your heart." All the parts of a gypsy dress that I was accustomed to were present: bright colored bloomers, leather bodice, satin chemise, and a brown skirt. Instead of a hat, she had a bandana on her head, with strings of beads and feathers coming out of it. There was a big round amulet hanging from her neck with an emerald dragon design.

I decided to ignore her, but she grabbed on to my arm.

"There isn't an ounce of magic running through your veins."

That made me look back at her. She knew I was an immune?

"There are two women in your man's life," she continued.

"What?" was all I could say.

"It seems he wasn't wasting time when you were gone not too long ago." The gypsy made circular motions in the air. "Look out for a girl with a phoenix ring."

My heart sunk. How could she know I was away from Owen and that I was an immune? Could she be a real gypsy?

"I think you are mistaken."

"_Karma_ is never wrong." She looked almost angry when she said that. Karma reached in her inner pocket and got an amulet. It was identical to the one that she had around her neck.

"Get your man to touch this amulet and he shall be forever yours."

I looked at the amulet. It was an exquisite piece of work, with every detail on the right side in perfect harmony and symmetry with the left side. I didn't know much about magic, but using a love spell on Owen didn't sound like a good idea.

"I don't need this," I said.

"You can't refuse a gift from a gypsy." With that, the gypsy left me standing in the middle of the sidewalk.

I stuffed the amulet into my purse and walked towards my apartment.

I was walking up my block and musing over the events of the day. All of a sudden a beautiful red rose floated up to me. Against my better judgment, I reached for it, but it started to float away. I followed it. The rose drifted into someone's hands. My gaze shifted up to see who the hands belonged to.

Owen Palmer was leaning against the railings of the stairs in front of the apartment door with a big bouquet of roses. He looked apologetic. He took a step in my direction.

"Katie…" He said as he gave me the bouquet. It was so big that I had to hold them with both of my hands.

The water drops on the roses were shining in the lights of the setting sun. I inhaled their sweet scent and closed my eyes. The smell was heavenly. Owen's voice brought me back to reality.

"I want to apologize for today. Jake and I were testing a spell earlier in the day and I was suffering from an aftereffect. I did not mean to snap at you like that." He looked at his feet and blushed, though not enough to match the roses.

Owen placed his hand over mine and looked straight at me. His other hand brushed my hair behind my ear and slid down to my cheek. I observed his facial expression. He looked so sincere and truly apologetic. The gypsy wasn't correct. She just couldn't be. Owen would never cheat on me. I leaned into him and allowed him to embrace me in a kiss.

I invited Owen to come up to my apartment. To my surprise, he agreed. Once we got upstairs, I unlocked the door and heard lots of shuffling and sputtering around. Rod and Philip were sitting on the couch in the living room. Marcia and Gemma were running around the rooms with clothes in their hands and wild expressions on their faces. I think they heard the news about moving for some time.

"I'm home," I called out.

Marcia's head popped out from behind her bedroom's door. Gemma froze midair as she tried to leap to her suitcase.

"Did you hear?" Gemma excitedly said. "Actually, I'm sure you knew first," she added.

Owen joined the men in the living room while I went to my room to pack my belongings. I did not know how long I would have to live at Owen's house, but I could always come back here to pick up anything I forgot. I chose a few blouses, pencil skirts, and pants for work. I also took a bathrobe, nightgowns, and house clothes. I saw my black velvet dress hanging in my closet above the previously enchanted red shoes.

Gemma called me into the living room. "We are leaving now." I hugged Gemma and Marcia goodbye. "We'll have to arrange to have dinners often. I will miss you too much."

"There is this useful technology called cellphones," I noted and hugged Gemma again. Philip was fussing around Gemma's bag. I thought it would have been a shock to his moral beliefs to have a lady living in his house without a chaperon. Once the girls and their 'bodyguards' departed, I went back to my room, threw in a brush, jewelry, and other accessories into my duffel bag.

Owen was still sitting on the couch, staring at the floor, and worrying his lower lip with his teeth.

"I can stay at the worker's apartment at MSI Inc." I said.

Owen shook his head and stood up.

"No. I want you in my house. And not only because it's easier for me to protect you there."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: ****Warning!** I was going to change the rating of the story to M, but my friend thinks that this is still PG-13 material. If you are somewhere on the borderline where you shouldn't be reading M, maybe skim this? But other than that, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I have most of 9 written out already, but I need to finish it. :)

*****Chapter 8*****

It was dark by the time we reached Owen's house. Loony was meowing from behind the closed door as Owen looked for his keys. As a true gentleman, he insisted on carrying my bag. As soon as Owen and I entered the hall, Loony leaped to my feet and rubbed her head against my leg. Owen put down my bag on the floor and the cat gracefully jumped over to it. She circled the bag, sniffing its contents. Then, as though approvingly, meowed, glanced at Owen, and gently walked towards the staircase that led to the guest bedroom upstairs.

"If I wasn't such a nice guy, I would be jealous." Owen laughed, picked up my bag, and headed upstairs.

"I think it might have something to do with women solidarity," I teased.

"Oh no! I'm going to get ganged up on," he teased back. "You two better not plot against me."

"Or what?"

"Or you will face the wrath of a mighty wizard." He just tilted his head and slightly shrugged, trying to look as innocent as possible.

After a brief pause, he continued. "The bedroom upstairs is ready for your use."

I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed. It was his idea to have me and my roommates move in with their boyfriends. He told me that he wanted me in his house not only for protection. And it was only yesterday morning that I woke up in his arms. I knew that it was my plea for him to stay with me that night. I felt hurt and vulnerable, but that didn't diminish my desire to be close to him. It had been a long time since I had any type of a sex life. Was I just desperate?

I shook my head to get rid of my thoughts. "Thank you," I said.

I took my duffle bag and went upstairs. Loony followed me closely. I looked around the bedroom. It looked the same as the last time I slept there over three months ago, but yet it felt different. I threw my purse on the bed and opened the dresser's top drawer. This was going to be my new house for some time, so I might as well try to make it feel like home as much as possible. I took some time arranging my clothes and accessories in the dresser. I left my brush, perfume, and cellphone charger on top of it. I looked at myself in the mirror as I stood motionless.

Owen's voice called me to come downstairs. "Are you hungry? We can order in tonight."

Amidst all the excitement I forgot to eat. "I am. Can you order while I go take a shower?"

Owen nodded and went to look through the array of menus he kept by his phone. I went back upstairs and looked for my silk bathrobe. I slipped out of my clothes and went inside the bathroom. Owen had a towel, hairdryer, and all other bath essentials laid out for me.

The water was dripping down my hair and body, as I stood under the warm shower. Water had always soothed me when I was little, even though I did not grow up around water in Texas. It still had a similar effect on me these days. I sighed and gave myself a mental peptalk.

"_Come on, Katie. He is so shy that you would need to wait another year or two before he makes another move. You know he wants you. Just take the first step. He wouldn't have asked you to move in with him if he didn't like you. He needed an excuse for you to move in, that's all."_

After I was done with the shower, I thoroughly dried my hair with the towel. I slipped the silk robe on and decided to dry my hair with the hair dryer. Before going downstairs, I adjusted the tie on my robe and purposefully left the neckline exposed slightly more than normal. I splashed a dash of perfume before turning to leave the room.

I could smell the aroma of the delivered food as I started to descend down the stairs. Owen saw me and stopped midway and I slightly batted my eyelashes. Owen looked at me with what I thought was admiration. He let his eyes wander from my toes to my eyes, his gaze lingering on my neckline. He cleared his throat.

"Dinner is served, my lady."

He gave me his hand and helped me down the stairs. If I had a big gown on me, it would have felt like I was thrusted back in time. Owen's manners were as gallant as ever. He was still wearing a suit and looked like he belonged either in a movie or a fairy tale. Owen sat me down on a cushion on the floor. In the middle of his living room, his coffee table was transformed into a feast table worthy of a queen. A bowl of fruit and berries was the center piece. Different kinds of cheeses were arranged on an exquisite plate, with dried apricots and walnuts adding to the design. On the opposite edges of the table, sat two plates with filet mignon and roasted vegetables. Two candles were the only source of light.

I was pleasantly caught off guard. Owen was showing a side that I never knew, but hoped, existed.

Owen settled on the other side of the table. With a swift hand and an aid of a bottle opener, Owen opened a bottle of white wine and poured two glasses. I noticed that the label read Château d'Yquem, with 1899 imprinted under it in small numbers. _That must have cost a fortune_, I thought.

Owen broke the silence. "Katie.. I would like to apologize once again for my outburst today."

"I think you more than made up for it." I smirked.

Owen reached towards the cheese platter and picked up a piece with his fork.

"I heard you like cheese," he bought the fork towards my mouth. "This is Caciocavallo Podolico. I hope you like it."

He cast his eyes down, as I bit into the cheese. The pear shaped cheese had a shiny rind with a creamy white filling. The taste was unlike anything I had ever tasted before.

"The cheese is made only in May or June every year. It comes from the milk of a rare Italian breed of cow, the Podolica, which only produces milk during those months." He spitted out the information as a nervous schoolboy, without looking at me.

"This is wonderful." I decided that it would be the best to eat some of the filet mignon before Owen shied away even more.

Owen got up and walked somewhere to the back of the room. I didn't dare turn my head to see what he was up to. All of a sudden I felt his body heat radiating behind me. I breathed in his scent and closed my eyes. I could feel myself panting from temptation. His touch sent a bolt of electricity through my skin. I slowly rose to my feet, still afraid to turn around. It was like a dream in which I was afraid to move, scared to disturb the surreal realm, knowing it might fade away before I can fully enjoy it.

For a moment, I stood there breathless, my chest rising and falling. I found myself sinking into his embrace, his arms coming around to pull me closer to his body. With a sweep of his arm, he twirled me in his grasp. One of his hands remained sturdy on my waist, while the other traced the outline of my jaw. Every touch sent a tingling sensation through our bodies. Oh how cruel was his teasing torture.

He slowly kissed my forehead, then my temple, and down to my cheekbones. My arms naturally wrapped around his neck and my fingers interlaced with his, refusing to ever let go. Then finally, his lips gently covered mine. The warmth of his lips overcame me, and I found myself submitting to him completely.

He softly pushed me onto the couch. As I rested myself against the cushions, I felt his body pressed hard against mine. I could feel my robe slowly rising up. His fingers traced down my neckline, followed closely by an array of tender kisses.

I let my hand wander down his back and it found its way under his shirt. His muscle left an imprint against my palm. His skin was hot and showing traces of sweat as I circled my hand around his waist and up his stomach. As my hands began their descent down his shirt, unbuttoning and exposing his chest, he pulled away from me.

"No…No. We can't." Owen sounded faintly distraught and disoriented as he got up and stood in the middle of the room, with candles flickering and disturbing the darkness.

A deep disappointment sunk into my heart. I smoothed out the wrinkles of the silk robe and got up. I took a couple of steps towards him. "Owen," I paused. "We're adults."

Owen looked at me through the dimness. He could see my eyes were full of longing. He tried hard to resist his urges, but after one last struggle, he swiftly made his way to me and pressed a hot kiss on my wrist.

Owen inhaled the smell of my skin; it smelled like a blooming rose (for this part of the sentence, since it's still in her pov, does she know she smells like blooming roses? lol. you can always put, "I knew I smelled like roses thanks to my shower"). He brushed the locks of hair away from my face and looked me in the eyes.

"I love you, Katie," he said in a hushed and raspy voice.

My heart was pounding inside of my chest, wanting to break out and leap away. Before I had a chance to respond, he passionately kissed my slightly parted lips. He placed soft, tender kisses on the right side of my neck. Instinctively, my neck tilted to the other side to allow him greater access, as he moved his kisses from my neck to my shoulder, allowing my robe to slip away from one of my shoulders.

I brushed my hand through his hair and closed my eyes. Every fantasy I had imagined before was coming true. Owen's hands traveled down to the belt of my robe and slowly untied it. With a gentle pull, the robe fell into a heap at my feet with a rustle. In an instant, Owen picked me up into his arms and carried me into the bedroom. He placed me on the bed and undressed.

I let my eyes wander and enjoyed the view of his naked body. As he sat on the bed next to me, I knew he could tell that I was silently pleading for more. The minute his skin was touching mine, I sank back into the bed, allowing him to slowly and sweetly lead me into oblivion.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **I am trying out a new style. Instead of putting everything into either one long and weird chapter, I divided this one into subchapters. So keep in mind that these things are happening at the same time. I had a lot of fum working on this chapter. I had a bit too many ideas in which direction to take the plot in. I hope you enjoy this =)

And thank you for all the comments. They really make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. I hope I will not disappoint you!

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><p><strong>***Chapter 9***<strong>

I woke up in the middle of the night to Owen's tossing and turning. His eyes were closed, but he was moaning and grunting in his sleep, as if trying to wake up from a nightmare. I placed my head on his forehead and felt cold sweat. I tried to hush him and wrapped my arms tight around him. He stopped tossing, but his sleep was still uneven and agitated.

"Owen" I said in a low voice, not wanting to startle him, but he did not react.

"Owen!" I said louder and slowly shook his shoulder. His grunting got louder.

"Owen!" I screamed, this time trying to shake him awake, but he wouldn't open his eyes. Loony ran into the room, jumping on the bed, and sadly purring next to her owner.

Panic spread through my mind. What was going on? Why was he not waking up?

I flew off my bed and ran upstairs. I grabbed my phone and dialed Rod's number. The phone kept ranging, but finally Rod's sleepy voice answered.

"Owen is moaning and grunting in his sleep, but won't wake up," I said almost with a hysterically pleading voice. "I don't know what's happening."

Rod immediately snapped into attention. "I will be right over."

On the way down, I grabbed the locket that Owen had given me for Christmas. It was a magic amplifier. If there was any magic in use, it started to thud. I held it tightly in my hand when I entered the room. The closer I got to Owen, the more painful it became to hold the charmed locket. Magic was used on Owen. But how could that be? His house had one of the strongest wards put on it.

I paced up and down the bedroom, watching Owen in his agony. Finally the doorbell rang and I raced to the front door to greet Rod. Marcia was trailing behind him. When they were inside the hallway, Marcia hugged me tight and said that everything will be alright. All three of us went into Owen's bedroom.

Rod knelt next to the bed and placed his palm an inch away from Owen's forehead. After what seemed endless seconds, Rod drew back in shock.

"Oh God, he's been enchanted by a succubus."

Owen was standing in the middle of a misty meadow. It smelled like a field of daffodils. Owen tended to be allergic to a lot of pollen, but this smell lured him further into the field. A beautiful and refined form slowly materialized amidst the mist. She laid on her side, with her arm supporting her head. Her thin-lined lips were curled up in the corners to form a grin. An elegant black dress tightly hugged all of her curves. Her neckline was low, while her cut in the back was deep. Owen could see a red bra peeking from under the dress.

The lady in black allowed her fingers to run down her hips and thighs. Her silky hands were covered in satin gloves that shone in the moonlight. Her neck was graced with a round amulet, with a perfectly carved out emerald dragon on it. The moonlight slid over its surface, allowing the illusion of a shining dragon to come to life. Owen's eyes were enchanted by the rays of emerald light emitting from the amulet. His mind got dimmer and clouded by the seconds.

Owen took a step back and drew his gaze away from the amulet and found himself staring at the mysterious woman. Her eyes watched Owen intently, as if trying to burn a hole in his flesh. When she seductively smiled at him, her pearly white teeth stood out among the shadows. Her black eyes, as a contrast, were hidden by the surrounding blackness. But Owen could still feel her gaze piercing through the mist and night. When the moon would come out from behind the clouds, her wicked eyes would gleam with temptation.

She lured him towards her. She willed him to glance at her and at her amulet and her desire was strong than anything he ever felt before. It was as if an invisible rope was pulling him towards her.

"You know you want to," she replied in a husky and sultry voice that sent chills down his spine.

"Who are you?" Owen managed to ask.

The mysterious woman produced a loud and echoing laughter.

"Why don't you recognize me? I am everything you want. And I can give you everything you need," she said with slight cajolement.

It took every ounce of his willpower not to yield into the urging.

"Foolish boy. I can show you who you really are. Finally unveil your past." She sprung to her feet and drew near him from behind. She placed her hands on his shoulders and ran them down his arms.

"You will not regret it," she whispered into his ear, her scent filling in his nostrils and her lips brushing against his neck.

She took her amulet into her palm and pressed it into Owen's hand. Immediately, Owen felt a wave of cold air spread across the meadow. The full moon shone across the field, revealing a frozen plain. The trees stood motionless, the owls stopped hooting, and the nearby river's sounds died down. It was like a dark version of an enchanted forest, where everything was put to sleep. The stillness felt menacing.

There were figures and mutters by the creek. Owen dashed in that direction. In front of him he witnessed a magical battle. It was too dark to make out the faces of those involved. The spells were thrown by each side. When two spells collided, they created countless of sparkles, making it look like fireworks. The riverbank lit green, and blue, and red every time spells were cast.

"Give up Machtungrig!" he heard a familiar voice yell. "You know our backup is on the way."

_James? _Owen rubbed his eyes. The figure that was talking indeed was James, his foster father.

Donald Machtungrig, taking the opportunity to duck from yet another incoming spell, grabbed on to a little child standing a few feet away. He picked the boy up and held him in front of himself as a human shield.

"You wouldn't hurt one of my kids, now would you James?" The evil grin spread across his face.

James hesitated for a second.

Flash, yells, and the little boy fell to the ground. Donald Machtungrig disintegrated into thin air, not even leaving a trail of smoke behind. In a hurry, another figure emerged from behind. "Owen, are you hurt?" A woman's voice asked.

The little boy rubbed his knees and stubbornly asked, "Where is my father?" Deadly silence ascended as James reached the boy and the woman.

"What are we going to do, Gloria?" He asked the woman.

Owen's eyes widened with horror. He was the son of Donald Machtungrig? That could not be. Donald Machtungrig was an evil mastermind. His current son, Jonathan Machtungrig seemed to be the mastermind behind the plot to take down MSI Inc. How could that be true?

"NO! NO! NO! NO!" Owen yelled as he ran towards the figures by the riverbank. His shaking hand reached for the young Gloria, but it went straight through her. The ghosts of the past faded away in front of his eyes.

"Fate was bound to catch up with you, Owen." The mysterious seductress was back again. Owen realized that he was still grabbing on to the amulet she had given to him before. As it dropped into the grass, the dragon's eyes flared up in a red speck of light. When he looked back up at the temptress, the amulet was safely deposited around her neck.

"Come, Owen. Come with me and you will know powers you had never dreamt of." She did not take her eyes off of Owen as she spoke. She slowly approached him with a sultry catlike walk. The dress's slit revealed her thigh with every move, showing a glimpse of a red lacy thong around her hip.

"Not all children are keen to make the same mistakes as their parents." He felt his anger rising and his fists clenching.

Her wicked laughter pierced the silence. "You can't run away from fate."

"Maybe I can't run away from it, but I can change it."

The sinful enchantress stopped midwalk, revealing little horns and dark wings behind her back. She scowled at Owen and angrily retorted.

"Enjoy your enchanted world." With that, Owen was left standing among the stillness.

"Owen, please wake up," almost begged Katie.

"I will not succumb." Owen muttered in his unconscious frenzy. "I am not dark."

Katie and Rod looked at each other with concern.

"How did this happen?" Katie searched for an answer in Rod's expression.

"Katie, I don't know. This house is warded to its max. No magical creatures, including succubi, should have been able to enter it."

"How do we get him to wake up?"

"I…" Rod stuttered. "I don't know. I can try this spell that Owen and I worked on about a year ago, but we never finished it. Stand back."

I stepped a few feet back, as Rod placed his palms over Owen's forehead and quietly chanted in a language I did not understand. I felt the air getting heavy and goose bumps ran up my spine. As Rod's chanting continued and the air around me grew heavier and heavier by the second – it was making almost impossible to take a deep breath. Then in a flash everything was back to normal.

"Please tell me it worked," I almost implored.

Rod sat on the edge of the bed and turned to me.

"I am sorry. I don't know what else to do. It would be best if we called Merlin."

Owen, always so calm and never angry, was frenetically trying to use every spell that he knew to escape this strange place. His last hope was trying to use the teleportation spell, but it would drain his powers completely. After a moment of uncertainty, Owen whispered the teleportation spell. As he grudgingly anticipated, nothing happened. He never felt so defenseless and hopeless before.

"Where am I?" He wondered out loud.

The trees still stood motionless in the distance. The fog had lifted and the moon was shining brightly, illuminating the enchanted landscape. He walked over to the riverbank and kneeled down. His hand ran through the cold stream, but no sound of stirring (?)was heard. It all reminded him of the time he froze time for a few minutes in Texas to try to catch the bank robber. Here, it must have been at least an hour since everything stood still. But for all he knew, only ten minute could have passed. But if the spell was used here for even that long, it would have already thrown the space continuum off balance.

Owen slowly walked towards the woods. They were encircling the meadow. In a matter of an hour, he tried to use very energy-draining spells today, but he did not feel tired. Why wasn't his magic working? Why did this place feel so empty? There was no smell, no sound, no cold or hot feeling. It was a vacuum.

As Owen descended further into the woods, he saw a glimpse of an opening. He sped up and found himself standing on a meadow… the same meadow he just came from.

Owen stared long and thoughtless. This place was an infinite loop.

Merlin arrived at Owen's apartment rather quickly. I wondered if he already knew about the situation before they called him. I could see Sam sitting on a tree top outside the window.

"Where is Mr. Palmer?" Merlin asked. I ushered him into the room. Rod stood up from the bed and allowed the older gentleman to take the spot. Owen was lying on the bed peacefully, his eyes still closed. Merlin frowned as he inspected Owen.

"This is not an ordinary succubus that just comes into men's dreams to seduce them. There is a strong sense of dark magic involved. I am afraid he has been entrapped in his own mind."

I blinked. "So he is lost forever?"

"We can help Owen come back to reality, but he has to do it on his own. We can't risk yanking him out of his own dream and his mind. That can cause serious complications." Merlin took my hand and placed his palm over it.

"We need to get to his subconscious. In order to escape the infinite loop he is in right now, he has to fall asleep in his dream. The sooner he does it, the better."

I sighed with relief.

"Now, does Mr. Palmer have any liquid ammonia in this house?"

"Ammonia?" I asked in surprise.

"Yes, Katie. We don't always use phoenix feathers or tears of a dragon," Merlin said with a hint of a smirk on his face.

I went into the bathroom to look for cabinet for cotton balls and ammonia. As soon as I opened the cabinet's door I saw both items that I needed. I hurried back into the bedroom and gave my findings to Merlin.

Merlin carefully poured a few drops of the liquid onto the cotton ball.

"Katie, when the smell of ammonia disturbs Owen's unconsciousness, I need you to talk to him."

"Talk?" I asked.

"Yes. You need to let him know that he is currently dreaming and the only way out of his dream is to fall asleep."

I nodded as a sign of understanding. Merlin waved the cotton ball in front of Owen's nose. In a few seconds, we could see Owen's facial expression changing.

Owen was sitting in the middle of the meadow and staring at the moon's reflection in water. It was a truly mesmerizing sight. The little specks of water were glimpsing and sparking in the moon rays. Nothing was disturbing the silence. Then Owen heard a voice calling his name from above. Owen sprang up to his feet, thinking it was the enchantress. He looked around, but didn't see anyone. After a brief silence he heard his name again. It vaguely resembled Katie's voice.

Owen sighed. That couldn't be Katie. But her voice kept telling him to go to sleep. Owen took off his suit jacket and laid it out on the ground. The voice was now telling him a soothing story of an enchanted dream from which he could only wake up by falling asleep. Owen started to remember the story of a succubus that he was told about when he was little. Gloria told him of seductive creatures that appeared in men's dreams and tried to seduce them. Those who would stay in this sleeping trance for a long time would eventually die. But how could he be possessed by one?

Owen's head began to feel heavy as he thought about the dream creature. Even though he didn't feel tired, Katie's soothing voice relaxed him. After a minute or thirty or maybe hours, Owen's mind fell asleep. In an instant, Owen's eyes opened and focused on Katie's worried face.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Hi all! Sorry it took forever to finish this chapter. I didn't give up on the story, just I was finishing up my master's degree and I really had to focus on it. I am introducing a new character in this chapter. Hopefully you'll like where the story is going. I have many ideas yet, so let's see how long I can make this story!  
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><p><strong>***Chapter 10***<strong>

"Owen!" Before Owen could fully wake up, Katie's arms were tightly wrapped around him. "We were so worried about you."

Owen looked around the room and saw Merlin, Rod, and Marcia standing around his bed.

"So it wasn't all just a dream?" Owen asked, as he tried to sit up.

"I am afraid not," said Merlin. "How are you feeling?"

After a pause, Owen replied. "I feel a bit dizzy." Owen looked like he had worked all night. Dark circles were under his eyes and he generally looked tired.

"How was the succubus able to pass the wards?" he asked.

Merlin stroked his chin as he thought. "Maybe one of the warding spells wasn't performed properly."

"Impossible," Owen said, looking almost hurt.

"Or there was a way the enemy bypassed the ward. A spell could have been casted on a twin object in the house that allowed anyone of possession of the other object to enter the building."

"An ob...object?" I stuttered.

All heads turned at me. Great, I seem to attract the most attention when I am about to make a fool out of myself.

"I think I might know how this happened then.." I escaped into my guest room before anyone had a chance to question me. I dug through my purse and uncovered the dragon amulet the gypsy had given me the evening before. The dragon's eyes were glowing red and I felt a warm, yet heavy, energy radiating from them.

I slowly descended down the stairs and made my way back into the bedroom. Owen was already sitting on the edge of the bed and talking quietly to Rod. When I entered the room, Merlin saw the amulet in my hands and frowned.

I gave Merlin the amulet to investigate. He flipped the amulet around as he inspected the glowing object. "There is a lot of dark magic cast on this object."

I looked at Owen, who was looking at me with confusion.

"I got ambushed by a real gypsy last night on my way home. She kept trying to tell me my future, but I refused. Then she gave me this amulet and vanished before I could say or do anything," I explained.

"Katie," Owen said, "gypsies aren't real." "Our enemy must have sent someone to pretend to be a gypsy, so that Katie would take the amulet and bring it inside this house." Rod looked me as he said it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't know." My luck struck again. Why was it always me who put Owen in danger? I desperately wished to do something right for once.

"Everyone should get some sleep now. I will take the amulet with me to MSI and you will describe the gypsy to Sam tomorrow," Merlin said as he was already leaving the room.

Once everyone left, Owen came back into the bedroom where I was quietly sitting on the bed. I couldn't bring myself to look at him. I knew Owen's enchanted dream wasn't completely my fault, but I still played an instrumental role in it. I felt Owen's presence very near me as he sat down on the bed too. His warm hand covered mine and the other cupped my face. Owen gently turned my head and looked right into my eyes.

"I know you wouldn't have brought the amulet in if you knew what it was."

A wave of guilt and relief hit me at the same time. How could he be so perfect? I leaned into him and rested my head on his shoulder.

"What happened in the dream?" I asked.

Owen furrowed his eyebrows as he recalled the events of the dream. I could tell that something was bothering him.

"I need to visit Gloria and James this weekend."

I knew pressing on the matter was of no use. Instead, I crawled under the blanket and urged Owen to do the same. As soon as his head hit the pillow, he was asleep. I, on the other hand, kept tossing and turning for a while. At 5am, I decided to finally get out of bed and go make some breakfast.

Owen's fridge had all the needed breakfast essentials, but was lacking some of the baking ingredients. Loony was sitting at my feet and purring. I found sour cream in the back of the fridge and placed a spoonful at her food bowl. As Loony was busy eating her early breakfast, I prepared waffles from scratch. By the time I was done making breakfast, Owen emerged from the bedroom in his PJ pants, looking disoriented, but not tired. I was sure that I was the first non-Gloria lady who cooked breakfast for him…or cooked in his kitchen at all. Finally a smile spread over his face.

"That smells really good. Whatever _that_ is."

I placed the food plate in front of Owen as he settled in at the table. I took the seat across from him.

"I just wanted to say I am sorry for last night."

"Katie, it wasn't your fault."

"But what if that thing killed you?"

"I am alive, aren't I?" He flashed me a warm smile.

"You better be after last night," I said with a chuckle.

Owen raised an eyebrow.

"You would have been in a heap of problems if we lived a few of decades earlier," I teased.

Now it was Owen's turn to blush and chuckle. "I was raised with proper manners." His warm smile sent a warm wave from my head to my toes.

After we cleaned up after the breakfast, we headed to work. Owen was lost in his thoughts and I had enough on my mind, too. The subway ride was uneventful. No skeleton creatures or gypsies crossed our path and I was glad for some peace and quiet. As we approached MSI Inc., I heard Sam call out.

"Hey, doll. Boss told me to have a meeting with you. Will it work in 30?"

"Sure. Just come into my office."

"How are you feeling, kid?" Sam looked at Owen with as much concern as a stone talking gargoyle could.

"Thanks. I feel fine."

Once we entered the building, Owen quickly disappeared in the hallway leading to his lab. I was sure he will be spending the day researching his dream, succubus, and whatever else he experienced. As I approached my office, I saw Trix sitting behind her desk in a very colorful outfit.

"What do you think of my outfit?" Trix asked excitedly, before I could greet her good morning.

"It's very colorful. What's the occasion, a date night?" I winked at her.

"It's for today's assignment!" She replied. "Merlin asked me to go with you and Rod to spot immunes."

Immunes! After overnight events, I almost forgot about today's impeding plans. Today was going to be a busy day.

"Rod and I are meeting at 11:30 today. We can walk to the lobby together to meet him. Now can I please get a cup of coffee?" I almost pleaded.

Trix's wings fluttered slightly and a steaming cup appeared in my hands from thin air.

Once I was settled in my office, I checked my email. I noticed an email from Finn and opened it. He wrote that he learned some new information regarding our "case," but he doesn't want to divulge it over the internet. He asked if Owen and I wanted to meet him and his co-worker, Julia, on Friday. I didn't know of any plans for Friday night, so I emailed him back. I took a mental note to warn Owen about the meeting.

My buzzer went off and Trix's voice announced Sam's arrival.

Sam flew into the room and settled in front of my desk.

"So doll, what can you tell me about the gypsy?"

I thought for a minute as I tried to recall her face and appearance.

"She called herself Karma and looked like a typical gypsy," I began after the pause. "She was wearing bright colored bloomers, leather bodice, satin chemise, and a brown skirt. She also had a bandana on her head, with strings of beads and feathers coming out of it."

"Katie-bug, gypsies are not actual magical creatures. They are a trick people use to beg money with."

"Oh…Well she looked about 30, was about my height, and had dark curly hair. She also had the round amulet around her neck that was almost identical to the one that I gave Merlin. That's about it."

Sam took a moment to process the information.

"That doesn't give us much to go on, but I will brief the security team and we'll try to search for her." Sam was ready to fly out of the room when I called after him.

"Sam? Are there any news on the amulet?"

"Sorry, sweets, Owen has been studying it all morning from what I heard, but nothing yet."

I sighed and reclined back in my desk chair. It has been only a few days since I got back to the city and my life was spiraling down the tube faster than I wanted. Who was I kidding? I was a small town country girl. When it came down to saving the world, I might have pitched a few good ideas, but I caused more trouble for Owen and the magical world than I wanted. Things needed to change and I had to take the bull by its horns. Hopefully today we could recruit an immune or two into our ranks and they could help me keep the company safe…or at least slightly safer.

I spent the time catching up on the work I missed while I was in Texas. I replied to the last batch of complaints about Kim and went on to look over the documentation Merlin left for me. Most of the documents were sales contracts. I put aside the two that I found suspicious and the rest I filed away.

11:30 came quicker than I expected. Trix popped her head into my room.

"Ready to go?"

I picked my wallet out of the purse and purposefully took out the cash I had. When we got down the stairs, we spotted where Rod was standing right away. Every woman that passed within 25 feet of him would stare at him and drool. He must have been wearing a very strong attraction spell for the event.

I waved at Rod and I could feel the grilling stares of at least five women in the room.

"Hi Katie! Hi Trix!" Rod came over to greet us.

"Hey. I thought about going to the Union Square. That place has a lot of business people coming for lunch and random people coming to stores and to the market."

"Good idea."

We left the building and heard two laughing voices calling us out.

"Ready to rock n' roll?" said Rocky, the gargoyle. "Get it…get it?" Both, Rocky and Rollo were laughing with their stone-like laugh. Gargoyle humor was not meant for everyone.

We made our way towards Union Square. It was almost lunch hour, so the square was not fully packed yet. We settled ourselves near some benches.

"Is everyone ready?" I asked Trix and the gargoyles. "I need you guys to start making some commotion, but make sure you have your veil up for both magical and non-magical people."

Trix perked up her wings and started to float a few inches off the ground. No person who saw this would be able to pass her. The gargoyles burst into some stone version of hip hop dance. For a moment I wondered how I managed to find what I thought were rational explanations for all these phenomena.

I paced around our location. Everyone seemed to pass us without even looking. After about half an hour of no results, a young girl passed by us with a slightly bewildered look. After taking some more steps, she slowed down, glanced back, and backtracked her way towards us. Her gaze glanced over the gargoyles, Trix, and then stopped at Rod. The girl's eyes had that slight lusting look in her eyes. I think Rob's natural charm was improving, as an immune would not get affected by any spell, including the attraction one. I lightly elbowed Rod to urge him to go talk to the girl and get her name.

Rod smiled at the girl, which I could tell made her swoon even more, and stepped towards her.

"Hi, I'm Rod."

The girl tried to reply, but she just stood there mesmerized as she leaned in Rod's direction. Before she could get her composure, Rod offered her his arm and led her away from Union Square. I knew that he would get her name, phone number, and possibly her address within half an hour.

I was left standing alone next to what appeared to be a circus. I sat on the bench next to Trix and observed. Most people in the park were business people, chatting about financial news and daily work routines. I saw Rod already coming back with a giant grin. I turned my head and that's when I saw him.

He was walking down the path and gazing with half amusement and half confusion at the gargoyles. His focus was definitely on the concealed setup. I could not help but notice he was wearing a dark charcoal suit with a dark blue tie. With a little help from the high sun, his smile was radiant and his eyes sparkled. The second he turned to walk away, I felt a breeze going through my hair. I could have sworn I could smell a trace of his cologne. As he passed the gargoyles and me, I started to follow him instinctively.

We crossed the Square and he headed towards a deli. The handsome mystery man strode towards the sandwich bar. Not to blow my cover, I decided to get a salad, but watched the man from the corner of my eye. I purposefully stalled after getting my salad, making sure to keep him in my sight. When the man headed towards the cashier, I picked up my pace and somewhat gracefully managed to get in line right before him. I smiled as I noticed him looking at me. Immediately, I was drowned in a sea of deep blue that were looking down at me warmly. The scent of his cologne intensified this time. I felt I would remember the smell forever.

All of a sudden, a nasty voice yelled "NEXT" and I walked over to the register. I gently shook my head. What just happened with the mystery man? His presence was disturbing my work mode. Even if he was not an immune, but a wizard, no spell he casts could affect me. I took my time to find my "working" credit card and pay. By the time I was done, the mystery man was on his way towards the tables at the rear of the deli. The deli was filled with business people trying to eat lunch, so it was a perfect opportunity to seat with him at his table.

I tried to make my way after him as gracefully as it was possible in the crowded room. I looked around and thankfully didn't see any open tables. I took a second to breathe and approached the table where the mystery man sat.

"Excuse me," I said weakly.

The mystery man looked up and smiled when he recognized me.

"Can I sit here?" I asked, gaining some confidence.

"Of course," he replied without any hesitation. The man got up and pulled up a chair for me. The guy is charming and is a gentleman, I almost screamed in my head. Wait, what am I thinking? I have Owen! Business…this is nothing but business.

"I am Katie, by the way."

"Steve," the man replied.

I opened up my salad and slowly started to eat. Steve was engulfed in eating his sandwich. After a few minutes of silence I cleared my throat. Steve looked up.

"It's a beautiful and strange day at the Square today," I began.

Steve slightly frowned and looked straight at me.

"I could have sworn I saw weird creatures there when I was crossing it."

Steve's facial expression didn't falter, but I could feel his intense look. He was studying my face and my body language.

"So do you come here often?" I changed the subject.

"I work around here at a consulting firm," he said. "Do you work around here too?"

"I work a couple of blocks away from here actually. I am a CEO's assistant and marketing consultant." For once I could use my job to boast about my importance. Even though MSI Inc was not your usual company, being any CEO's assistant had to count for something.

After a few more minutes of work related chit chat, Steve went back to eating his sandwich. When he was finished eating, he spoke again.

"I have to get going to work, but here's my business card. It was nice meeting you, Katie."Steve handed me his card and got up to leave. I glanced down and stared at it with bewilderment. It read Steve Machtungrig.


End file.
